ShareAction is an independent charity and an expert on responsible investment. We work to build a world where the financial system serves our planet and its people. We set ambitious standards for how financial institutions, through their investment decisions, can protect our planet and its people and campaign for this approach to become the norm. We convene shareholders to collectively push companies to tackle the climate crisis, protect nature, improve workers’ rights and shape healthier societies. In the UK and EU, we advocate for financial regulation that has society’s best interests at its core.
Position
As part of the Financial Sector Standards Directorate, the Co-Head of Investor Engagement is responsible for leading ShareAction’s engagement with asset owners, asset managers and investment consultants. The role is key to establishing, sustaining and deepening constructive relationships with investment professionals at the heart of the financial system, challenging, encouraging and supporting them to raise their ambition on climate, nature, decent working conditions and people’s health. This is a new role that has been created from a restructure of the team that we hope will allow both parts to work more collaboratively.
In this role, you will be accountable for designing and leading ShareAction’s strategy to engage and influence major global institutional investors. You will help ShareAction work towards our vision by playing a leading role in shaping a dynamic new strategy for engaging pension funds to be active responsible stewards of pension savers’ capital, helping them to exercise positive influence over the wider investment system in the interests of the people whose assets they manage.
You will work closely with your fellow Co-Head of Investor Engagement, who acts as Technical Lead. They bring analytical and research expertise, ensuring that ShareAction’s insights, guidance and research outputs are informed, credible and robust. Your vital contribution will be to build constructive and sustained relationships with our key audiences in the investment industry and to shape inspiring and engaging events, dialogue and communications that deliver our messages in ways that resonate.
The Co-Head role is not a job share – both Co-Heads are full-time roles. Jointly, you are accountable for the design and overall delivery of ShareAction’s investor engagement strategy and for the wellbeing and performance of the Investor Engagement Team. However, you each have distinct accountabilities within the strategy, and the Engagement Lead (this role) will have primary responsibility for team operations (budget, risk and plan management, as well as monitoring, evaluation and learning). The team comprises eight more junior colleagues, six of whom will sit in your reporting line, with three reporting directly to you. As a team Head, you will also be part of ShareAction’s Extended Leadership Team, which plays a key role in organisational leadership, strategy and decision-making.
You will also liaise closely with colleagues who lead our advocacy with policymakers, as well as those who lead our corporate campaigns, helping to coordinate their efforts to build coalitions of investors that drive change through collaborative engagements with specific companies and sectors. You will also oversee the secretariat function which ShareAction provides to two networks of mission-led investors (the Charities Responsible Investment Network and the Responsible Investment Network – Universities), supporting their ambitions to be at the leading edge of responsible investment practice.
ShareAction’s research, engagement and campaigns are highly respected within the investment industry. If you are excited by the opportunity to influence and shape the way the finance sector responds to the challenge of aligning long-term economic, financial, environmental and social goals, then we’d love to hear from you!
What you’ll bring to the team
We want to hear from you if you’re highly skilled in strategic stakeholder relationship management and have a passion for making the financial system work in the interests of people and the planet. We think this role could suit someone who has previous experience in the financial sector. Or perhaps, you may have worked in wider industry in investor relations, in a professional services organisation, or in a stakeholder-facing role within a civil society organisation or regulatory/policymaking body. Additionally, the key aptitudes we’re looking for are the ability to shape and lead a strategy to engage and influence with impact and the ability to lead and manage a passionate and talented team. However, we recognise that talent comes from all types of backgrounds, and lots of skills are transferable. So, if you believe you would excel in engaging to change the financial industry but don't have one of these profiles of experience, we’re still keen to hear from you, and we welcome opportunities to explore different ways of achieving our goals.
What we will do for you
We are a fast-paced organisation that has grown substantially over the past few years. We recognise that our people work hard to advocate for responsible investment and drive meaningful engagement with those who have the power to create a brighter future. Every day, they bring their expertise, passion and persistence to build a world where the financial system serves our people and planet. We want to ensure we provide the right environment for our colleagues to thrive, and we are committed to improving our employee offer where possible.
Currently, we are pleased to offer:
- A commitment to flexible working: over 60% of our employees have some sort of flexible working arrangement in place.
- Hybrid working: we are committed to supporting our staff to work in a way that suits their lifestyle and meets the requirements of their role.
- Internal promotion and development opportunities: we offer a range of ways to improve your skills and focus on what you love, including promotion, secondment, or sideways development opportunities. For some levels of roles, we offer direct progression.
- The opportunity to help make a difference: we tackle some of the world’s biggest social and environmental challenges. We offer opportunities for you to develop your skills and experience in a friendly, flexible and supportive working environment.
- A unionised work environment: our staff have the opportunity to join the union, and we are supported by our recognised union, Unite. We regularly consult and negotiate with our employees on workplace matters ranging from working conditions to pay.
- Regular in-person meetings, including all-staff away days, retreats and directorate strategy days to create connected teams.
- 8% non-contributory pension: invested with NEST and their green funds.
- A healthcare cash plan with Westfield that gives you money back on your healthcare costs.
- An employee assistance programme: advice and support, lifestyle discounts and short-term counselling.
- 25 days’ annual leave (increasing with length of service) plus office closure at the end of the year, ensuring everyone gets time to switch off together.
- Enhanced family leave pay: up to 18 weeks paid at 90% for either parent.
- Enhanced sick pay: starting at 5 weeks’ full pay from day one.
- Season ticket loan and cycle-to-work scheme.
ShareAction values and respects all differences in people (seen and unseen) and welcomes applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities, and we are working hard to provide an environment where all can bring their authentic selves to work. We know that some people won’t apply for a role unless they meet all the requirements listed in the job description. If this is the case for you, but you think you would excel in this role, we want to hear from you!
For further information and to apply, please visit our website via the Apply button.
Closing date: 9am on Monday 30 September 2024.
First-round interviews: Wednesday 9/Thursday 10 October 2024 (online).
Second-round interviews: Wednesday 16/Thursday 17 October 2024 (in person).
Our hiring process is anonymised; we won’t ask for a cover letter, and we don’t look at CVs until the interview stage. We do this so that we reduce the opportunity for unconscious biases to affect our decision-making, and so we prioritise skills and expertise over how well you can write a CV.
To be considered for this post, you must be legally eligible to work in the UK; unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship.
Please be aware that when shortlisting we are really keen to get a sense of your unique voice and individual experience, especially if you are using generative AI tools as part of your drafting process.
We have an exciting opportunity to join the Wildlife team, within the Policy, Prevention and Campaigns Division, as a Senior Scientific and Policy Officer - Animals in Entertainment & the Media.
This pivotal role will address a significant gap in the protection and welfare of animals used in entertainment and media. Tens of thousands of animals are featured in films, television shows, advertisements, often facing substandard treatment and welfare conditions. Despite public concern, current legal and industry safeguards remain inadequate.
The creation of this new role within the RSPCA, is not only vital for addressing current deficiencies in animal welfare within the entertainment industry but also reinforces the RSPCA's commitment to leading positive change.
This role will drive forward critical initiatives, ensuring that the welfare needs of animals are prioritised and protected, reflecting the values and expectations of society.
This role is being offered as a 24 month fixed term contract. We are open to flexible working options, such as part time hours and the role will be offered on a hybrid working basis; working from home and from our London and or Horsham office.
Are you ready to join our movement?
What a day might look like for you:
As our Senior Scientific and Policy Officer - Animals in Entertainment & the Media, you will develop and implement a strategic plan to raise industry standards, improve legal protection, and shift public attitudes to improve the welfare of animals used in these industries.
The role is situated in the RSPCA's Wildlife Department but the scope of the work includes all animals, including companion animals, so you will work collaboratively across several departments.
You can find a full description of what the role entails on the attached role profile but in a nutshell, we will look to you to:
- Generate and maintain RSPCA policies, strategic aims, goals and objectives relating to animals in entertainment and the media.
- Develop and implement a strategic influencing plan to improve industry standards, legal protection, and public attitudes towards animals in entertainment and the media
- Build strong relationships with stakeholders, including those in the entertainment industry, animal welfare organisations, and regulatory bodies, and represent the RSPCA in advocacy coalitions to achieve the RSPCA's goals and objectives.
- Prepare and deliver evidence-based briefing papers, policy reports, position statements, articles, and press releases.
- Work with RSPCA colleagues to ensure RSPCA standards are based on the latest scientific evidence and best practices.
- Undertake media interviews as the RSPCA's lead spokesperson on animal welfare in entertainment.
- Stay up-to-date on animal welfare science, legislation, ethics, and industry developments.
What makes a great Senior Scientific and Policy Officer - Animals in Entertainment & the Media?
To succeed within this role, it is essential that you have:
- A degree level qualification in a relevant discipline.
- Strong relationship building, negotiation and influencing skills.
- Strong stakeholder management skills.
- Proven experience of high level influencing and setting the strategic direction for advocacy on animal welfare issues.
- An ability to build and utilise networks of contacts effectively and to work in coalition with others.
- Broad knowledge of animal welfare issues and specific knowledge and experience relating to animals specific to the post.
- Expertise in developing compelling policies, shaping agendas and working in coalition to achieve change.
- Experience of translating policy and research into change through advocacy, and a strong track record of driving policy change with national and local governments.
- Excellent research and writing skills with the ability to effectively condense, summarise and make sense of large amounts of information quickly, pulling out salient points and spotting potential weaknesses or problems.
- You must also be aligned to our vision and values.
This role is both rewarding and challenging and it is a very exciting time to join the RSPCA during our 200th year, so if you have the skill set we are looking for, please apply! We encourage people from all sections of our community to apply for jobs with us.
Final note from us & good luck with your application!
Interviews will take place on the 22nd and 23rd October.
We are really lucky that some of our roles attract a high level of interest and for this reason we review applications as they are received, unfortunately on some occasions this means roles may close earlier than advertised; so early submissions are highly recommended.We are unable to accept applications past the close date.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated, dynamic and commercially minded individual to join the Senior Management Team of one of the UK’s leading public art galleries. Working alongside the Director and Board of Trustees, the Director of Finance oversees the strategic, business and financial management of the organisation. The successful candidate will be a qualified Accountant with a proven track record of operating at a senior level and with the ability to offer insight and challenge for future development whilst ensuring the financial sustainability and growth of Whitechapel Gallery.
The Director of Finance is responsible for the efficient and effective leadership and management of the Gallery’s finance, governance and commercial activities. With scrupulously high standards, they will drive the quality and transparency of financial management and reporting, ensuring robust financial controls and the smooth running and management of the Gallery’s finances. A key member of the senior leadership team, the Director of Finance contributes to shaping and implementing the Gallery’s strategic development.
Candidates will be able to demonstrate a proven ability in leadership and financial control within a complex organisation, managing people and limited resources effectively, delivering results, thinking strategically and inspiring and motivating others. They will need to demonstrate a high degree of energy and agility, with the ability to build highly effective, collaborative working relationships at all levels of the organisation. The new Director of Finance will demonstrate a high level of financial and business acumen and strategic insight and will possess strong analytical and project management skills.
With experience at Board level, they must be comfortable with presenting to Boards and with the ability to develop strategy and present business plans.
Previous experience of the gallery and museum sector would be desirable but is not essential, and applications are welcomed from candidates with commercial, charitable and private sector backgrounds. Candidates must be able to demonstrate empathy with the mission and vision of Whitechapel Gallery and act with a high degree of personal integrity in a diverse cultural environment.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.